Sheet metal can



March 15, 1932. AC sPAHN SHEET METAL CAN Filed Feb. 24. 1930.

Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED stares PATENT'OFFICE' AUGUST C. SPAHN, OFEVANSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T BERNARIDI'N BOTTLE GA]? COMPANY, OFEVANSVILLE, INDIAN A, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA SHEET METAL can Theinvention relates to cans and more particularly to; that type in whichthe rim portion of the body can be torn of by a suitable key on a linebelow the can-top. In this type a of can, it is now common practice totearofi the rim-portion of the body below the top, so as to leave aportion thereof attached to the top, and so it can be used as a coverafter the can has been opened. This is objectionable,

in because the raw edges left on the metal of the can-body and the coverby the tearing are likely to out the fingers of the user when the can ishandled after the can has been opened.

One object of the invention is to overcome this objection by providing aremovable, cap

for use on the can after the top has been removed, and which, when onthe can, and

while its top is sealed, will serve to provide a sealed chamber abovethe top for contain ing, against contamination, devices, such as a cupor spoon for serving or measuring the contents, and the key for openingthe can.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cap for sealedcans which is adapted to be seated and sealed on the seam between thecan-body and its top, and which, after the top has been removed from thecan, will form an efiicient closure to preserve the contents of the canand to cover the raw edge 0 of the metal on the rim of the can where ithas been torn in removing the top.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detaileddescription.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing: Fig. l is a section of a can embodying the inventionwith the cap thereon, and Fig. 2 is a section of the can with a striptorn ofi' so the can top can be removed. Fig.8 is a section showing thecap applied to the can after the can-top has been severed from the bodyof the can. Fig. 4c is a perspective of the cap.

The invention is exemplified in a sheet metal can comprising acylindrical body a, a bottom a, secured to the body by a marginal seam aand a top a secured to the body. by a marginal seam a. A ring 6 issecured inside of the upper portion of the body and secured therein by arolled-in bead Z). The metal forming the body a is adapted to be torn bya suitable key, a tabbeing usually provided on the body to enter a. keyby which an annular strip of metal may be torn out by winding the keyaround the periphery of the can, leaving a space a (Fig. 2) to sever thetop and a strip depending therefrom, from the body a, so the top can beremoved to give access to the contents of the can. Ring 6 is beadedatits upper edge, as at 6 and forms a smoothly finished rim for thecan-body after the top a has been removed. by tearing the body, asaforesaid.

A removable sheet metal cap comprises a top 0 and an integral dependingskirt 0' which is formed with an annular shoulder 0 which is adapted toseat on the seam a This shoulder is spaced from the top 0 of the cap toform a chamber at between the can-top o and the top of the cap in whichdevices, such as a measuring cup or spoon e, and a key f for tearing offthe rim-portion of the cap, are suitably secured, usually by tonguessoldered to the can top a The skirt of the cap extends below theshoulder a and is provided with a series of insets 0 which are spacedapart and in desired number to interlock frictionally with the seam aand to hold the shoulder 0 snugly seated on the top of the can and toseal the chamber (Z. Thelower margin of the skirt is headed, as at o, toprovide a finished lower edge of the cap. The portion of the skirt abovethe shoulder 0 is of such diameter that it will fit snugly around theyexposed upper portion of the outer periphery of the ring 6 after the topa has been severed and removed from the can-body. The portion of theskirt of the cap below the shoulder is extended downwardly sufiicientlyto cover the torn edge on the can-body when the cap is placed thereonafter the top a has been removed and then the insets 0 will frictionallygrip the outer periphery of the can-body above the head 6 to holdsecurely, but removably, the cap thereon. Insets c are spaced apart sothe skirt portions between them will be sufficiently resilient to permitthe insets to a? it spring over the seam a in applying the cap to thecan while it is sealed.

In packing goods which require sterilization, the cap is placed on thesealed and filled can, and sterilized therewith, so that the devices inthe chamber d, as well as the contents of the can, will be sterilized.The insets 0 securely hold the shoulder a of the cap on the can andretain the devices sealed in chamber (Z and against contamination. henthe contents of the can are to be used, the cap is first removedtherefrom. The skirt of the cap being securely held on the can, theskirt may be loosened by tapping it until the insets 0 can be sprungover the seam a The key f will then be accessible so it can be appliedto the can-body, and wound around the outside thereof to tear a stripfrom the rim-portion of the can-body at below the top a, to sever thetop from the can-body, with a portion of the body left attached to thetop a by the seam a The top can then be thrown away. The cap is thenapplied to the can to serve as a removable closure. The cylindricalportion of the skirt above the shoulder 0 will fit frictionally andsnugly around the outer periphery of the exposed portion of the ring Z)to form a seal and the insets 0 will frictionally grip the can-bodybelow the torn edge thereon to assist in removably holding the cap onthe can. The skirt, extending below the raw edge on the can-body, willcover said edge and prevent injury to the user. Insets c are formed tocause the skirt of the cap above the shoulder 0 to grip more firmly thering Z) when the cover a has been removed.

The invention exemplifies a sealed can with a top which can be removedby tearing the rim-portion of the can and a cap which provides a sealedchamber above the can for containing devices, and in which the skirt ofthe cap is formed with a shoulder for seating and sealing the top on thecan, and with means for removably securing the cap on the can, and inwhich the cap is adapted to be fitted on and secured on the can-bodyafter the latter has been torn to permit its top to be removed.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A sheet metal can comprising a cylindrical body, a circular topsecured to and forming a seal for the top end of the body, the rim ofthe body adjacent the top being adapted to be torn off to remove thetop, and a removable sheet metal cap having a circular top wall and acylindrical skirt depending from the top Wall and provided at theintermediate part thereof with an annular shoulder seated on themarginal part of the top, the portion of the skirt above the shoulderform ing with the top wall and the top a closed chamber over said top,the portion of the skirt beneath the shoulder embodying means engagingfrictionally the rim of the body for removably securing the shoulderseated 011 the aforesaid marginal part of the top and being adapted,when the rim of the body has been torn off for the purpose of removingthe top, to extend around the top end of the body to close the latterand to be held removably in place by engagement of the securing meanswith the portion of the body directly beneath its torn edge.

2. A sheet metal can comprising a cylindrical. body, a circular topsealed and secured on the body by a seam at its margin, the rim of thebody adjacent the top being adapted to be torn off to remove the top,and a removable sheet metal cap having a circular top wall and acylindrical skirt depending from the top wall and provided at theintermediate part thereof with an annular shoulder seated on the seam, aportion of the skirt above the shoulder forming with the top wall andthe top a, closed chamber over said top, the per-- tion of the skirtbeneath the shoulder embodying arcuate insets engaging frictionally andinterlocked with the seam for removably securing the shoulder seated onthe seam, and being adapted, when the rim portion of the body has beentorn ofl for the purpose of removing the top, to extend around the topend of the body to close the latter and to be held removably in place byengagement of the arcuate insets with the portion of the body directlybeneath the torn edge.

3. A sheet metal can comprising a cylindrical body with a rim portion atthe top end thereof adapted to be torn off, a ring secured to the bodyso that it is positioned within the rim portion and adapted to form arim for the top end of the body after the rim portion has been torn off,a circular top secured to and removable with the aforesaid rim portionof the body and forming a seal for the top end of the body, and a sheetmetal cap comprising a top wall and a circular skirt depending from thetop wall and provided at the intermediate part thereof with an annularshoulder seated on the marginal part of the top, the portion of theskirt above the shoulder forming with the top wall and the top a closedchamber over said top and being shaped to it slidably around the ringafter removal of the rim portion and the top, the portion of the skirtbeneath the shoulder embodying means engaging frictionally the rimportion of the body for removably securing the shoulder seated on theaforementioned marginal part of the top and being adapted to surroundthe top part of the body when the cap is positionecl so that thefirst-mentioned portion the portion of the body directly beneath the ofthe skirt fits slidably around the ring after torn edge.

removal of the rim portion and the top.

4:. A sheet metal can comprising a cylindriof February, 1930- cal bodywith a rim portion at the top end thereof adapted to be torn off, a ringsecured to the body so that it is positioned within the rim portion andadapted to form a rim for the top end of the body after the rim portionhas been torn off. a circular top secured to and removable with theaforesaid rim portion of the body and forming a seal for the top end ofthe body, and a sheet metal cap comprising atop wall and a circularskirt depending from the top wall and provided at the intermediate partthereof with an annular shoulder seated on the marginal part of the top,the portion of the skirt above the shoulder forming with the top walland the top a closed chamber over said top, being shaped to fit slidablyaround the ring after removal of the rim portion and the top andembodying indents for engaging frictionally said ring. the portion ofthe skirt beneath the shoulder embodying means engagin frictionally therim portion of the body for removably securing the shoulder seated onthe aforementioned marginal part of the top and being adapted tosurround the top part of the body when the cap is positioned so that thefirst-mentioned portion of the skirt fits slidably around the ring afterremoval of the rim. portion and the top.

5. A sheet metal can comprising a cylindrical body with a rim portion atthe top end thereof adapted to be torn ofl", a ring secured to the bodyso that it is positioned within the rim portion and adapted to form arim for the top end of the body after the rim portion has been torn oif,a circular top secured to and removable with the aforesaid rim portionof the body and forming a seal for the top end of the body, and a sheetmetal cap comprising a top wall and a circular skirt depending from thetop wall and provided at the intermediate part thereof with an annularshoulder seated on the marginal part of the top the portion of the skirtabove the shoulder forming with the top wall and the top a closedchamber over said top and being shaped to fit slidably around the ringafter removal of the rim portion and the top, the

portion of the skirt beneath the shoulder embodying means engagingfrictionally the rim portion of the body for removably securing theshoulder seated on the aforesaid marginal part of the top and beingadapted, when the cap is positioned so that the firstmentioned portionof the skirt fits slidably around the ring after removal of the rimportion and the top, to surround the top end of the body and to be heldremovably in place by engagement of the securing means with Signed atChicago, Illinois, this 13th day AUGUST G. SPAHN.

